Calls for Iarnród Éireann to add weekend late night East Cork service

Iarnród Éireann has been urged to introduce a late night weekend rail service on the Cork to Midleton line to accommodate both revellers and staff working in the city.

The issue was raised in motion before a recent meeting of Cork County Council’s East Cork municipal district committee by Social Democrats councillor Eamonn Horgan.

Currently, the last train from Kent Station in Cork city to Midleton departs at 10.45pm.

In his motion, Mr Horgan called on Iarnród Éireann to explore the feasibility of adding a later service between the city and the East Cork town that would operate into the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Mr Horgan said that people are being actively encouraged to use the rail link.

“So we need to understand that the train needs to work for the people and suit the people’s lives; and some people like to stay out later than 11pm,” he said.

“This will benefit so many people — those going to the Opera House or Everyman Theatre, those going to gigs in the city bars, those who are going to dine out in Cork’s many fine restaurants.”

Mr Horgan said that a late night train service would also be of immense benefit to people coming off shift and seeking to travel to East Cork after working at night in the city.

“The other side of it is that you have people working in bars, theatres, and restaurants which by their nature tend to close late,” he said.

“It might be a student trying to make some money for the week ahead in college, or the fiddle player playing in the corner of a candlelit pub.

“These are the real lives of the night-time economy.”

Mr Horgan’s motion was passed by his council colleagues, and the committee will now formally write to Iarnród Éireann asking that it make the requested addition to the late night weekend schedule on the line.